Subscribe now

Health

Growing pains may indicate a greater risk of migraines later in life

A study of 100 children found that those who experience growing pains are more likely than their peers to get migraines five years later

By Grace Wade

15 September 2023

A child with a sore knee

Growing pains and migraines might share a common underlying cause

Zdan Ivan/Shutterstock

Children who have growing pains are more likely than their peers to experience migraines later in life. The finding suggests that growing pains could be an early indicator of migraines.

Growing pains – or sore, aching limbs in adolescence – are often attributed to rapid childhood growth. However, there is no evidence to support this, and their cause remains unclear.

Like migraines, growing pains develop rapidly and often recur. So, Raimundo Pereira Da Silva-Néto at the Federal University of the Parnaíba Delta in Brazil and his colleagues tracked…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with New Scientist events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, subscribe today with our introductory offers

Popular articles

Trending New Scientist articles

Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop